Monthly Feature

The Films of Nicolas Cage

THURSDAYS IN JULY

“I am not a demon. I am a lizard, a shark, a heat-seeking panther. I want to be Bob Denver on acid playing the accordion.” – Nicolas Cage

If the eclectic career of Nicolas Cage has taught us anything, it’s that there are few actors who will go as far out on a limb as Cage to ensure that a moment rings true on screen. An endlessly fascinating, Oscar-winning performer, Nicolas Cage continues to prove himself one of the few major Hollywood stars of his generation who moves easily from megawatt mainstream movies (Con Air, National Treasure) to quirky low-budget comedies (Raising Arizona, Vampire’s Kiss) to challenging art films (Wild at Heart, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans). Displaying an unerring knack for choosing difficult, subversive roles and infusing them with the rock & roll energy of icons like Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson, Cage has carved out an enviable, ever-changing career in an industry that prides itself on pigeonholing actors. Born in 1964 in Long Beach, Cage (the nephew of legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola), studied theater at Beverly Hills High School before scoring his first roles as a teen rebel in Valley Girl and his uncle’s film, Rumble Fish. Cage first exhibited his startling range with his breakout performance in Alan Parker’s Birdy in 1984, underlined by memorable comic roles in Raising Arizona and Moonstruck. In 1995, he won the Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of a self-destructing alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas. A favorite of unconventional filmmakers including the Coen brothers, David Lynch and Spike Jonze, Nicolas Cage has mastered the fine art of making his characters as surprising as they are believable, while simultaneously keeping audiences guessing as to what the heck he’ll do next. This July, The Loft Cinema presents four key films from the ever-unpredictable career of Nicolas Cage.

July’s Reel Reads Selection! Purchase a copy of Snake Eyes: A Nicolas Cage Activity Book by Haunt Me Studio during the month of July and receive a special “Loft Reel Reads” discount off the cover price – 20% for Loft members and 10% for the general public. Copies of the book are available at The Loft Cinema and Antigone Books.